SPIELBERG, AUSTRIA – JULY 02: Sergio Perez of Mexico and Oracle Red Bull Racing looks on on the … [+] prior to the F1 Grand Prix of Austria at Red Bull Ring on July 02, 2023 in Spielberg, Austria. (Photo by Dan Istitene – Formula 1/Formula 1 via Getty Images)
Formula 1 via Getty Images
Red Bull Racing and Sergio Perez have reached an agreement to part ways effective immediately, ending their four-year partnership.
This decision comes just months after the team granted the Mexican driver a two-year contract extension for the 2025 and 2026 Formula 1 seasons.
“After four incredible seasons together, Oracle Red Bull Racing and Sergio Pérez have reach an agreement to part ways,” the official statement reads.
Perez made the switch to Red Bull from Racing Point in 2021, where he secured his first victory for the team in Azerbaijan, ending the season in fourth place with 190 points. In 2022, he secured third place in the championship, winning two races in Monaco and Singapore.
The following year, he added two more wins to his tally in Saudi Arabia and again in Azerbaijan, ultimately securing his best overall finish yet—second place in the 2023 drivers’ standings behind teammate Max Verstappen.
“I’m incredibly grateful for the past four years with Red Bull Racing and for the opportunity to race with such an amazing team,” said Perez.
“Driving for Red Bull has been an unforgettable experience, and I’ll always cherish the success we achieved together. We broke records, reached remarkable milestones, and I’ve had the privilege of meeting so many incredible people along the way.”
In 2022, Verstappen and Perez helped the team secure their first constructors’ championship since 2013, putting an end to Mercedes’ eight-year dominance. They repeated this feat once again in 2023 with a total of 860 points—451 points over the Silver Arrows.
“It’s also been an honor to race alongside Max as a teammate all these years and to share in our success,” he continued.
“A special thank you to the fans around the world, and especially to the Mexican fans for your unwavering support every day. We’ll meet again soon.”
Sergio Perez’s Recent Form With Red Bull
Back in June, the Milton Keynes outfit decided to extend Perez’s contract early to “settle” his mind and help him regain his best form—a decision team principal Christian Horner later admitted that “it didn’t work.”
Although he kicked off the year in good form, grabbing four podiums in the first six races—three of which were second-place finishes—his performance took a nosedive soon after securing the new deal.
After round six in Miami, the Mexican driver struggled to break into the top five for the remainder of the season. In the crucial final stretch, he managed to score only nine points over the last eight races, which hindered Red Bull’s bid for a third consecutive constructors’ title.
The team slipped from first to third place in the standings, allowing McLaren and Ferrari to battle it out for the championship.
If his season couldn’t get any worse, Perez also encountered five retirements in the final 18 rounds of the season. Although he wasn’t always to blame, Perez found himself in situations where his crashes placed a financial burden on the team.
In round eight in Monaco, Perez was out of the race within seconds of the start after Kevin Magnussen’s Haas made contact with the rear of his RB20 and sent him into a heavy collision with the wall—a mishap that cost the team up to $3 million in damages, according to Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko.
Former racing driver Ralf Schumacher did not hold back in his criticism of Perez following the Monaco Grand Prix weekend, saying, “Perez needs to be replaced as soon as possible,” but the team extended his contract a month later for the sake of “continuity” and “stability.”
LUSAIL CITY, QATAR – NOVEMBER 29: 16th placed qualifier Sergio Perez of Mexico and Oracle Red Bull … [+] Racing walks in the Pitlane during Sprint Qualifying ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Qatar at Lusail International Circuit on November 29, 2024 in Lusail City, Qatar. (Photo by Bryn Lennon – Formula 1/Formula 1 via Getty Images)
Formula 1 via Getty Images
After the penultimate round of the season in Qatar, in which Perez retired from the race after a spin under the safety car and a clutch failure, Horner was asked about the future of Perez with the team.
He answered, “I’m going to let Checo [Perez] come to his own conclusions; nobody’s forcing him one way or another. It’s not a nice situation for him to obviously be in.”
This situation placed pressure on the Mexican driver, making it clear that he needed to either jump himself or risk being pushed out.
As he approached the season finale in Abu Dhabi, Perez knew he was on shaky ground; a single misstep could put his future with the team for the next season in jeopardy.
But his year hit a new low when he retired in the first lap at Yas Marina due to a collision with Valtteri Bottas of Sauber, ending his stint with the team in a manner he could have never wished for.
With that, the Mexican driver found himself in a distant eighth place in the drivers’ standings, trailing his teammate and 2024 champion Verstappen by a staggering 285 points—the largest gap between two teammates this season.
ForbesMax Verstappen’s Road To Fourth F1 Title And A Repeat Of HistoryBy Yara ElshebinyEven though he stood his ground and insisted he wasn’t going anywhere when the rumors circulated, the final two rounds made the Mexican realize it’s best for both sides to just go their separate ways.
Now, Visa Cash App RB’s driver, Liam Lawson, is the frontrunner to take over Perez’s seat, while Formula 2 driver Isack Hadjar is expected to partner Yuki Tsunoda at Red Bull’s sister team.
This means Perez will not compete in Formula 1 in 2025, as all 20 seats across the 10 teams will be filled.
However, with General Motors preparing to join the F1 grid as the 11th team with Cadillac in 2026, there may be an opportunity for him to make a comeback.
If the new American team manages to bring Sergio Perez on board, they would not only benefit from his on-track experience but also tap into a huge fan base in North America, making him an attractive option for sponsors from both Mexico and the United States.
